Mark Ballas is getting back into his groove on Dancing With the Stars — and he’s not scared of facing BFF Derek Hough as a judge.

Ballas, 39, and season 34 partner Whitney Leavitt earned a 15 out of 20 for their fierce tango during the Tuesday, September 16, premiere, tying with Robert Irwin and Witney Carson at the top of the leaderboard. (Performances were scored on a scale of 20 due to judge Carrie Ann Inaba‘s last-minute absence.)

While Ballas and Leavitt’s first routine showed they’re one of the couples to beat, the returning pro is excited to see how the competition plays out.

“They’re all my comrades and friends,” he exclusively told Us Weekly on Tuesday, praising his fellow pro dancers. “It’s funny, I remember being Ezra [Sosa] and Rylee [Arnold]’s age here, and now, I’m like th

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